इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत | सर्वभूतानि सम्मोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप || 27 || |
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“O Arjuna, with the rise of desire and aversion, born from the delusion of duality, all beings become bewildered at the time of creation.”
Commentary: Lord Krishna explains the cause of delusion and confusion among all beings. He states that the dualities of desire (ichchhā) and aversion (dveṣha), which arise from the delusion of perceiving things as separate and distinct, lead to a state of disoriented and incomprehensible perplexity. He uses the term “sarge” which refers to the time of creation or birth into the material world. A newborn infant is immediately enveloped in the delusion of duality, a consequence of the newly formed aham and chittha. Our aham (sense of self-importance) and chittha (thoughts and emotions) overpower and distort our inner sense of soul bliss (ātmanandam). The ego often generates feelings of pride and self-centeredness, while the mind is responsible for generating likes, dislikes, desires, and aversions.
The newborn infant naturally seeks the mother’s presence and craves her touch, experiences hunger and desires nourishment through milk, but also dislikes the constraints of a small body and the slow forgetfulness of its boundless soul consciousness. This marks the beginning of a life journey in the pursuit of comforts, pleasures and avoidance of polar opposite – pain.
The restless craving for comforts and pleasures for the body is an inherent pain. True peace remains elusive until mastery over the mind is achieved, for it is the progenitor of pleasure and pain, virtue and vice. The essential quality required is to assert ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to one’s own mind with strong will power. The task is not merely to decline external temptations but to transcend internal desires.
It is important to recognize that any person – affluent, renowned, robust, or otherwise – who has not tamed his mind, shall perpetually be ensnared by his own mind, and always feel dragged by a desire to please ego, leading to only temporary happiness.
The term “paranthapa” used to address Arjuna means “the scorcher of foes” or “one who conquers enemies.” Lord Krishna addresses Arjuna in this way to highlight his strength as a warrior, and to remind him of the battle he must fight within himself to overcome the delusions of ego and dualities of the mind. This verse serves as a reminder for us to transcend our limited awareness and recognize the inherent oneness and interconnectedness of all beings.